Push and pull factors

• Push: Due to increased mechanisation/privatisation of farms in Poland, rural unemployment has risen
• Push: Not enough jobs and very few working opportunities e.g. until 2019 the unemployment rate in Poland was high
• Push: Low paying jobs in Poland resulting in a low standard of living
• Push: State benefits are very low in Poland compared to Scotland and the UK
• Pull: Until 2020 unlimited migration within the EU allowed Polish migrants to move freely to the UK
• Pull: The exchange rate meant that the sterling conversion into zloty was favourable and meant that people could send money back to family members in Poland
• Pull: There were plenty of available jobs in parts of the economy in Scotland, such as in construction
• Pull: Employers advertised vacancies in Poland of jobs in Scotland
• Pull: Healthcare in Scotland is free at the point of delivery
• Pull: Many family members may have already migrated so more family members migrate to be with them
• Pull: Low-cost air travel between Poland and the UK made migrating easier and cheaper